What do you think?
Rate this book
In This Sign
The bestselling modern classic by the author of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden about a deaf couple, their hearing child, and the bond they create through sign language, featuring a new introduction by Sara Nović, author of the New York Times bestseller True Biz, and a new afterword by the author
Abel and Janice meet at a school for the deaf. Sign language brings them together, enabling them to survive and, indeed, to forge a love too powerful to be broken by the world into which they were born. Spanning forty years, from the late 1920s to the early 1960s, In This Sign follows the lives of Abel, Janice, and their hearing daughter, Margaret, as they contend uneasily with the “Outside”—a world designed, often purposely, to be inhospitable to those like them.
First published in 1970, only a decade after ASL’s formal recognition as a language and well before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, In This Sign stands out as a rare, compassionate portrait of the deaf community.
Abel and Janice meet at a school for the deaf. Sign language brings them together, enabling them to survive and, indeed, to forge a love too powerful to be broken by the world into which they were born. Spanning forty years, from the late 1920s to the early 1960s, In This Sign follows the lives of Abel, Janice, and their hearing daughter, Margaret, as they contend uneasily with the “Outside”—a world designed, often purposely, to be inhospitable to those like them.
First published in 1970, only a decade after ASL’s formal recognition as a language and well before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, In This Sign stands out as a rare, compassionate portrait of the deaf community.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1970
22 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Greenberg
43 books147 followersJoanne Greenberg, also known as Hannah Green, is a writer whose style lends itself to the mature reader yet simultaneously presents themes suitable for all ages. Greenberg addresses the persistent doubts that plague all of us by relating stories of others in need. Though the scenarios in which her characters find themselves may be unfamiliar to the average reader, the emotions they feel while enmeshed in the plotlines are universal in appeal and scope. Her works include magazine publications, short stories, novels, and a movie adaptation of her book, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 25, 2022
Torn about this book. I Never Promised You A Rose Garden is one of my all time favorite books and was the first book I read by Joanne Greenberg (under the pseudo name of Hannah Green), and I couldn’t help but make comparisons. But this is a great novel. Very interesting and moving. A terrific job is done showing the palpable isolation and loneliness of the deaf couple and also the struggle of their hearing daughter. A wonderful family story. Read it years ago but remember so many details. One part that made an impression on me was how after dark in bed the deaf couple could not talk with each other because they couldn’t see each other’s hands.
July 17, 2023
The novel follows a deaf couple – Abel and Janice – through their lives from shortly after WWI to the mid 1960s. They start out confident and sure, having gone to a “Deaf school” to learn trades which will assure them of work, Abel in a print shop, Janice as a seamstress in a cap factory. But they soon discover that despite learning to read lips they are woefully ignorant of the World of the Hearing.
I read this novel back in the mid 1970s, shortly after it was originally released. I had read Greenberg’s earlier novel – I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (written as Hannah Green) – when I was in high school and enjoyed that exploration of mental illness and recovery. A challenge to read a book featuring a deaf character made me remember this little gem and I went searching for it.
I find myself conflicted in my feelings for Abel and Janice. I feel sad that they are so lost and truly “dis”-abled by their deafness. I want to befriend them and welcome them to the community. I want to throttle the people (landlady, boss, car salesman, etc) who take advantage of them. At the same time, I feel angry with Abel and Janice for being so prideful and refusing any sort of help. Janice, especially, is so paralyzed by fear of what others will think of her that she nearly alienates her only daughter and husband.
The way they rely on the child Margaret (who is Hearing) to interpret for them mirrors the way many immigrant families rely on their children to help them navigate interactions with businesses, doctors, teachers, etc. They never recognize the burden this places on their daughter, or that merely being able to hear the words does not equal understanding concepts unfamiliar to the child. Here is Margaret coming home from school after getting a disappointing grade on a test:
“If she had been called stupid or a failure, she would have felt less weakened. This weakening was of a kind she did not understand. Miss Lester’s hand on her arm had been comforting and gentle and those words which she had understood were praising and not for blame. … A single word could have a dozen meanings; it could mean the opposite of what it said, and when it was most a game, it was the most serious. The hearing of the words was not enough. Her parents thought that hearing was everything. How could they know that she, with all her hearing, was suffering death by thirst even as she sat in school, lost in a meaningless tide of words?”
As Margaret grows up she begins to resent more and more the way her parents rely on her to be their voice; she struggles to find her own life in face of the duty she feels to help her parents. Here is her father talking about what it means to lose her to marriage:
“When Hearing have a child and she grows to be a woman and is married, the parents cry at the wedding because she is leaving them and they know they will be lonely for her. When Deaf have such a child, a Hearing child, she grows up in the Hearing world, and when she is married, mother and father do not cry. When the Hearing child leaves the house of the Deaf, their mouths also are taken away from them and their ears are taken away and the child also, whom they love. For this, tears are not enough.”
There are many such passages in the book which made me think – and rethink – my impressions, reactions, and assumptions about the Deaf and others who are faced with obstacles that most of us never even see. I’m so glad I re-read it. It is poignant, eye-opening, and thought-provoking.
In 1985, the book was adapted into a TV movie – Love Is Never Silent – which starred Mare Winningham as Margaret.
I read this novel back in the mid 1970s, shortly after it was originally released. I had read Greenberg’s earlier novel – I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (written as Hannah Green) – when I was in high school and enjoyed that exploration of mental illness and recovery. A challenge to read a book featuring a deaf character made me remember this little gem and I went searching for it.
I find myself conflicted in my feelings for Abel and Janice. I feel sad that they are so lost and truly “dis”-abled by their deafness. I want to befriend them and welcome them to the community. I want to throttle the people (landlady, boss, car salesman, etc) who take advantage of them. At the same time, I feel angry with Abel and Janice for being so prideful and refusing any sort of help. Janice, especially, is so paralyzed by fear of what others will think of her that she nearly alienates her only daughter and husband.
The way they rely on the child Margaret (who is Hearing) to interpret for them mirrors the way many immigrant families rely on their children to help them navigate interactions with businesses, doctors, teachers, etc. They never recognize the burden this places on their daughter, or that merely being able to hear the words does not equal understanding concepts unfamiliar to the child. Here is Margaret coming home from school after getting a disappointing grade on a test:
“If she had been called stupid or a failure, she would have felt less weakened. This weakening was of a kind she did not understand. Miss Lester’s hand on her arm had been comforting and gentle and those words which she had understood were praising and not for blame. … A single word could have a dozen meanings; it could mean the opposite of what it said, and when it was most a game, it was the most serious. The hearing of the words was not enough. Her parents thought that hearing was everything. How could they know that she, with all her hearing, was suffering death by thirst even as she sat in school, lost in a meaningless tide of words?”
As Margaret grows up she begins to resent more and more the way her parents rely on her to be their voice; she struggles to find her own life in face of the duty she feels to help her parents. Here is her father talking about what it means to lose her to marriage:
“When Hearing have a child and she grows to be a woman and is married, the parents cry at the wedding because she is leaving them and they know they will be lonely for her. When Deaf have such a child, a Hearing child, she grows up in the Hearing world, and when she is married, mother and father do not cry. When the Hearing child leaves the house of the Deaf, their mouths also are taken away from them and their ears are taken away and the child also, whom they love. For this, tears are not enough.”
There are many such passages in the book which made me think – and rethink – my impressions, reactions, and assumptions about the Deaf and others who are faced with obstacles that most of us never even see. I’m so glad I re-read it. It is poignant, eye-opening, and thought-provoking.
In 1985, the book was adapted into a TV movie – Love Is Never Silent – which starred Mare Winningham as Margaret.
November 25, 2013
This is a powerful book that I would love to talk about with others. Right now, I'm contemplating the possible meanings of the last page; how is the one thing that Abel and Janice can do to end poverty "right now, for everyone" (286) something "very much like Sign"? (287)
I'm looking forward to seeing how this book goes over in a class I'll be teaching next Spring. As a third-generation Deaf person from a Deaf family, the plot definitely evokes a lot of emotions and can be difficult to read at times (because many of the emotions Greenberg evokes are painful).
Greenberg does a great job of painting a picture of the Deaf community and Deaf culture from the 1920's to the 1960's. Although she is almost entirely accurate in her depiction, some word choices and beliefs clearly come from a hearing-centric perspective--even as much of her novel works against audist ignorance.
This blurring of understanding and ignorance, however, show how important this novel is for people who are careful enough readers to question the difference.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this book goes over in a class I'll be teaching next Spring. As a third-generation Deaf person from a Deaf family, the plot definitely evokes a lot of emotions and can be difficult to read at times (because many of the emotions Greenberg evokes are painful).
Greenberg does a great job of painting a picture of the Deaf community and Deaf culture from the 1920's to the 1960's. Although she is almost entirely accurate in her depiction, some word choices and beliefs clearly come from a hearing-centric perspective--even as much of her novel works against audist ignorance.
This blurring of understanding and ignorance, however, show how important this novel is for people who are careful enough readers to question the difference.
March 24, 2009
Working with the Deaf community, it is hard to know how they experience the world. This book truly makes its way inside the lives of a Deaf couple and their family. It can be heartbreaking at times and yet their ability to persevere in the face of the discrimination they encounter daily is inspirational.
May 10, 2019
This is a difficult book to rate and to review. The story is so incredibly sad, but also an important awakening for those who have no idea about the history of the Deaf in the U.S. and how the education system tore apart the lives of way too many Deaf people for far too long.
Read
November 17, 2007I was assigned this book as part of a class on sign language, and am so thankful. I think of it often these many years later, as it gives a poignant and realistic view into the world of the deaf.
December 13, 2024
I finished the audiobook this morning and i wish I've read it instead of listening to it because there's so many things that i wish i could highlight, copy and share it here. Words can't describe how much i love this book and the writing. So empathetic, written with so much affinity.
A story of a deaf couple, Abel and Janice who struggled to make ends meet. Living in ignorance due to their deafness to the point that they started to embrace and take advantage of it to remain ignorant without any space for self improvement. Then there comes Margaret, their "hearing" child that becomes the interpreter between them and the world. Then everything starts to progressively change.
A very eye opening story on the deaf community in modern America. There's a few moments in this book that really broke me to pieces like Abel's toast during the dinner with the future in laws for his daughter, the coffin scene, how Abel asked Margaret whether the sun have a sound and how he always thought that he can imagine how it sounds like, how some deaf people didn't know that human's voice varied and it's not always the same, how Abel discovered that there's so much more to the world once he discover new words and reading after being "deaf and dumb" almost his entire life, how there's so much nuance in ASL that some hearing just can't interpret as well as the deaf.
Ugh so much things to share about this book i just wish more people would read this. Anyway the audibook narrator is amazing! This is gonna be one of my fav American modern classics of all time!
A story of a deaf couple, Abel and Janice who struggled to make ends meet. Living in ignorance due to their deafness to the point that they started to embrace and take advantage of it to remain ignorant without any space for self improvement. Then there comes Margaret, their "hearing" child that becomes the interpreter between them and the world. Then everything starts to progressively change.
A very eye opening story on the deaf community in modern America. There's a few moments in this book that really broke me to pieces like Abel's toast during the dinner with the future in laws for his daughter, the coffin scene, how Abel asked Margaret whether the sun have a sound and how he always thought that he can imagine how it sounds like, how some deaf people didn't know that human's voice varied and it's not always the same, how Abel discovered that there's so much more to the world once he discover new words and reading after being "deaf and dumb" almost his entire life, how there's so much nuance in ASL that some hearing just can't interpret as well as the deaf.
Ugh so much things to share about this book i just wish more people would read this. Anyway the audibook narrator is amazing! This is gonna be one of my fav American modern classics of all time!
May 29, 2025
About poverty, wealth, failure, success, materialism, capitalism, mistakes, misunderstandings, family, marriage, children, and the realization that every person pities themself. At the same time this book takes us through WWI, the interwar period, WWII, the industrial revolution and the rise of black voices, while the characters have a lack thereof. This book really teaches you how every individual has a side of the story. Absolutely loved this one, highly recommend!
July 18, 2024
Abel and Janice face the challenges of life as two deaf adults in a hearing world.
March 17, 2011
This is a very interesting and moving novel about a Deaf couple and their Hearing daughter, Margaret. It starts in the 20s, when Abel and Janet are newly married, out in the world, and have finally escaped the school for the Deaf where they met. They buy a luxury car, then sell it when it's too expensive to run, not understanding that they papers they signed were for a loan. The car dealer sues them and wins, dooming them to 20 years of poverty while they repay the loan.
The book does a fascinating job of showing us how Abel's life changed when he went to the Deaf school. He grew up in a Deaf family who used some signs, but didn't really understand words or language. School opened that world to him.
Margaret is their link to the Hearing world, and has to interpret for her parents at the doctor, the bank, and when they must buy a a coffin for her young brother. Her teachers can't understand why she can read well but has such poor grammer. They have no idea that it's because Sign doesn't have the same kind of structure and she that gets little practice in spoken English. Later she's befriended by a storekeeper in their slum neighborhood who gives her a radio. A radio! It's her lifeline to learning and experience in the ways of the wider world.
It also demonstrates how isolated Janet and Abel are until they join a Deaf church. Janet is ashamed of their shabby clothes and doesn't want to meet other Deaf people, but Abel insists, and for the first time since school, they have people besides each other they can talk to.
Janet does piecework for a factory and can't understand why Union representatives approach her and "talk, talk, talk" to try to get her to join them. She believes the factory has only her best interests at heart. She's faster than the Hearing workers, so she's pleased when WWII comes and she's asked to train the other seamstresses. Abel similarly benefits from war, when Hearing printers are drafted and he gets extra work. They're proud that for the first time their skills are recognized. Of course, after the war, they're no longer such valuable employees.
When Margaret meets a young man and gets serious about him, her mother is angry - doesn't she understand how they need her? How can she consider leaving home? Abel is more understanding how she needs her own life.
Margaret defiantly gets married. Her mother in law is surprised to find out that Margaret's parents don't read. She assumed Deaf people would have lots of books since, after all, there's no reason they can't read. But reading and that kind of language aren't a part of Deaf culture, or at least people Deaf from birth.
Although Abel and Janet eventually own their own home, Janet never gets over the bitterness and shame of the years when they were poor. She's angry, too, that Margaret has her own life. Though the grandsons learn to Sign when they're young, eventually they forget, and don't spend time with their grandparents. It's the grandson who becomes a social activist in the 19602 and goes to the South to help the poor who brings Margaret and her parents back together.
The book does a fascinating job of showing us how Abel's life changed when he went to the Deaf school. He grew up in a Deaf family who used some signs, but didn't really understand words or language. School opened that world to him.
Margaret is their link to the Hearing world, and has to interpret for her parents at the doctor, the bank, and when they must buy a a coffin for her young brother. Her teachers can't understand why she can read well but has such poor grammer. They have no idea that it's because Sign doesn't have the same kind of structure and she that gets little practice in spoken English. Later she's befriended by a storekeeper in their slum neighborhood who gives her a radio. A radio! It's her lifeline to learning and experience in the ways of the wider world.
It also demonstrates how isolated Janet and Abel are until they join a Deaf church. Janet is ashamed of their shabby clothes and doesn't want to meet other Deaf people, but Abel insists, and for the first time since school, they have people besides each other they can talk to.
Janet does piecework for a factory and can't understand why Union representatives approach her and "talk, talk, talk" to try to get her to join them. She believes the factory has only her best interests at heart. She's faster than the Hearing workers, so she's pleased when WWII comes and she's asked to train the other seamstresses. Abel similarly benefits from war, when Hearing printers are drafted and he gets extra work. They're proud that for the first time their skills are recognized. Of course, after the war, they're no longer such valuable employees.
When Margaret meets a young man and gets serious about him, her mother is angry - doesn't she understand how they need her? How can she consider leaving home? Abel is more understanding how she needs her own life.
Margaret defiantly gets married. Her mother in law is surprised to find out that Margaret's parents don't read. She assumed Deaf people would have lots of books since, after all, there's no reason they can't read. But reading and that kind of language aren't a part of Deaf culture, or at least people Deaf from birth.
Although Abel and Janet eventually own their own home, Janet never gets over the bitterness and shame of the years when they were poor. She's angry, too, that Margaret has her own life. Though the grandsons learn to Sign when they're young, eventually they forget, and don't spend time with their grandparents. It's the grandson who becomes a social activist in the 19602 and goes to the South to help the poor who brings Margaret and her parents back together.
June 20, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5. For me the true measure of an author is in her ability to take such a specific, complex experience and show its universality without compromising the experience’s uniqueness and without appropriating it to promote an author’s own personal agenda.
The best literature can show how what appears to be a seemingly nuanced corner of the world can be a microcosm of the human experience.
That is what Joanne Greenberg does here with ASL and Deafness. I haven’t read such a beautiful and compassionate book about love and family in a long time. I am not a member of the Deaf community but Sara Nović’s introduction to the recent Penguin Classics edition lends insight into how accurately Greenberg portrays Deaf culture.
Will write more later.
March 14, 2025
----
Three months and I am still so in love with this book. One of my favorite parts I wanted to note was that Greenberg does an INCREDIBLE job of illustrating the corrosive and infectious effects of poverty. The scene where Janice and Abel are fighting, early in their marriage, and Janice picks up a lamp to throw in her rage but decides against it because of how much it cost - what an amazing and vivid detail to show how when you're poor, money factors into every single choice you make, down to such intimate decisions regarding a fight with your family.
And another scene that sticks out to me and, I'm sure, to so many readers: When Abel tells Margaret that he's bought her a graduation gift specifically meant for Hearing people, only for Margaret to find out that he is referring to a hearing aid, which he thinks will mitigate his Hearing daughter's embarrassment at having Deaf parents. My God.
One more note about the depiction of poverty, but really of intergenerational relationships within families: When Margaret, upon her parents' catching her living in a hovel with her husband while he's at university, appeals to her father to remember that he and Janice were poor when they were first married. In a fit of rage Abel responds that he and Janice broke their backs making sure Margaret never lived in filth, and that she lives in filth now, and that he is enraged she would compare her current situation to the one her parents made for her as a child. I just can't believe how accurately Greenberg managed to examine the dynamics of communication between different generations of a family! Abel and Janice worked so hard for Margaret to be better off than they had been.
Ugh, this book is so fantastic and moving. I will love it forever.
June 20, 2025
The best literature can show how what appears to be a seemingly nuanced corner of the world can be a microcosm of the human experience.
That is what Joanne Greenberg does here with ASL and Deafness. I haven’t read such a beautiful and compassionate book about love and family in a long time. I am not a member of the Deaf community but Sara Nović’s introduction to the recent Penguin Classics edition lends insight into how accurately Greenberg portrays Deaf culture.
Will write more later.
March 14, 2025
----
Three months and I am still so in love with this book. One of my favorite parts I wanted to note was that Greenberg does an INCREDIBLE job of illustrating the corrosive and infectious effects of poverty. The scene where Janice and Abel are fighting, early in their marriage, and Janice picks up a lamp to throw in her rage but decides against it because of how much it cost - what an amazing and vivid detail to show how when you're poor, money factors into every single choice you make, down to such intimate decisions regarding a fight with your family.
And another scene that sticks out to me and, I'm sure, to so many readers: When Abel tells Margaret that he's bought her a graduation gift specifically meant for Hearing people, only for Margaret to find out that he is referring to a hearing aid, which he thinks will mitigate his Hearing daughter's embarrassment at having Deaf parents. My God.
One more note about the depiction of poverty, but really of intergenerational relationships within families: When Margaret, upon her parents' catching her living in a hovel with her husband while he's at university, appeals to her father to remember that he and Janice were poor when they were first married. In a fit of rage Abel responds that he and Janice broke their backs making sure Margaret never lived in filth, and that she lives in filth now, and that he is enraged she would compare her current situation to the one her parents made for her as a child. I just can't believe how accurately Greenberg managed to examine the dynamics of communication between different generations of a family! Abel and Janice worked so hard for Margaret to be better off than they had been.
Ugh, this book is so fantastic and moving. I will love it forever.
June 20, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2014
SPOILERS!!!!!
I first read this about 8 years ago when I was taking an ASL class at university. I decided to re-read it and I really failed to see how negative Janice was the first time I read it. She is a constant toxic cloud of negativity that hangs over Abel and their children. Abel tried to remain positive in a world that discriminated against the deaf by suggesting to Janice that they go out and mingle with other deaf people that might have been going through the same thing, and all Janice could do was tell him how stupid he was being for even trying. I understand that society made it hard for them to feel completely accepted, but it's even harder when you choose to have such a defeatist attitude all the time like Janice, and she brought everyone down along with her.
I also hated how the author made Janice and Abel so naive to the point that they were just outright stupid in some situations. In the beginning you feel bad for them because of the misunderstanding with the car they purchased and because their interpreter berates and belittles them for being deaf, but after that they react inappropriately (coffin shopping) and fail to put Margaret in school, and it all adds up to the reader not even giving a damn what this family goes through because it's all at the expense of their own ignorance.
The ending where Abel, Margaret, and Janice gather around the table and have a good laugh over everything they went through was really inconsistent on Janice's part. What the hell is Janice doing laughing joyously when she was so negative throughout the entire novel? It was so out of character for her. I didn't even think it possible that she knew what laughter was! I would have much preferred if the laughter at the end was a private moment between and ONLY between father and daughter since they had a better understanding and better relationship with each other. Kudos to the family for persevering through hard times, but Janice's attitude made it that much harder to get through this book.
The book was first published in 1970 and anyone who reads it now will find it extremely dated. It's also very wordy.
I remember reading another book for my ASL class called Deaf Like Me, and that was a much better book than In This Sign.
July 17, 2017
Joanne Greenberg is a writer of great insight and subtlety, and it is a shame that this excellent novel is no longer in print. The main characters, Abel and Janice, are both Deaf, and have met at a school for the Deaf and Blind. Beginning in 1920, Abel and Janice face constant hardship to survive in a world that their education and families have done little to prepare them for. The copy on the cover of the book describes the story as being about "a family whose love and courage enable them to survive in the silent world of the deaf" but this does not get close to the heart of the story. Faced with debt and poverty, it is Abel and Janice's hard work, pragmatism and stubbornness that enables them to survive, and the narrative shows that at times loving someone can be impossible, but tenacity and refusal to give up can keep you going, however difficult and bitter it can be.
This is a not a happy novel, but it is not without hope. Greenberg is very interested in language, and how Janice and Abel have not been taught Sign properly as their schools forced them to lip-read, and as the story progresses their Sign increases, and having a greater understanding of words and language allows them, Abel in particular, to expand their understanding of the world and discover more about themselves. Their daughter, Margaret, is born hearing, and from a very young age acts as their interpreter in a world they and she find very confusing. Their are some heartbreaking scenes where Margaret is forced to face adult decisions when she is much too young to do so. Margaret comes to resent her role of interpreter and how she is forced to act as her parent's bridge to the hearing world, but she also comes to realise how important Sign is to her. A complex story, none of the characters are entirely likeable or perfect, but all are well drawn.
This is a not a happy novel, but it is not without hope. Greenberg is very interested in language, and how Janice and Abel have not been taught Sign properly as their schools forced them to lip-read, and as the story progresses their Sign increases, and having a greater understanding of words and language allows them, Abel in particular, to expand their understanding of the world and discover more about themselves. Their daughter, Margaret, is born hearing, and from a very young age acts as their interpreter in a world they and she find very confusing. Their are some heartbreaking scenes where Margaret is forced to face adult decisions when she is much too young to do so. Margaret comes to resent her role of interpreter and how she is forced to act as her parent's bridge to the hearing world, but she also comes to realise how important Sign is to her. A complex story, none of the characters are entirely likeable or perfect, but all are well drawn.
October 24, 2008
Really loved this in my early 20s...read twice. Not sure how I'd feel now, but probably the same way.
September 9, 2024
As a Deaf person,i have found it painfully rare to discover a novel whose focus lies on silent world & the flying fingers that dwell within it.
I had not been aware of this author or "in this sign" until recently when digital gremlins decided in their incalculable ways to recommend it to me, owing to the new edition' recent release.
I am very glad that i had the good fortune to read it, as it captivated me for myriad reasons & i finished it within a very short fragment of time.
The author's words paint a vista of a Deaf couple & the events that surround & mould their family over two generations. The initial event that kicks the story into life is mired in a breakdown of communication that happens all to often to people of the eye. An event which has lasting impact on the couple & effects their personality or outlook on life in very different ways.
I would elaborate on this but do not wish to ruins things for prospective readers.
The writer impressed me in the way she incorporated signing into the text, it does not jar or distract the reader in a negative way. Greenberg even had the presence of mind to describe the manner, space, handshapes & habits of signs in a vivid way, imbuing the reader with an extra layer of perceived emotion. This may seem insignificant, but it is something that many writers who have tried to write Deaf characters fail to include, this adds a richness to the power of the prose & a new dimention that people naive of sign language will not have come across before.
What most impressed me was the authentic portrayal of a Deaf view of the world & the experiences encapsulated within it.
A character finally gains the courage to meet other Deaf people & encounters difference in their clothing & "educated signing". There are subtle & well beautifully described passages alluding to themes of language deprivation, paternalism & even using Deafness to their advantage when engaging "hearings". There is even deeply perceptive passages surrounding a mere radio & the changes that engenders in the family dynamic.
There is a treasure trove of subtle themes, growth & regression of characters, topics & nuances that whirl within Deaf culture for readers to discover in this book.
The authors work in this title is truly exemplary.
After reading this, i checked what dealings the author had with the Deaf world. Seeing that her husband had intimate interaction with Deaf people, i was not surprised, the knowlege & faithfulness is evident throughout the book.
It is exceptionally rare to find a novel, centred on Deaf culture which is as accurate & has such a depth to it, yet subtle in portraying it as this one is.
I am grateful to have read this work & am happy that it was written when it was.
There is no overbearing political or "social justice" browbeating angle present in the work, which is so very common in contemporary titles.
Instead, there is a beautiful, sometimes upsetting but entirely captivating & faithful Deaf experience that spans two generations, which makes it all the more powerful & will leave a poignant impression on any who care to read it.
I had not been aware of this author or "in this sign" until recently when digital gremlins decided in their incalculable ways to recommend it to me, owing to the new edition' recent release.
I am very glad that i had the good fortune to read it, as it captivated me for myriad reasons & i finished it within a very short fragment of time.
The author's words paint a vista of a Deaf couple & the events that surround & mould their family over two generations. The initial event that kicks the story into life is mired in a breakdown of communication that happens all to often to people of the eye. An event which has lasting impact on the couple & effects their personality or outlook on life in very different ways.
I would elaborate on this but do not wish to ruins things for prospective readers.
The writer impressed me in the way she incorporated signing into the text, it does not jar or distract the reader in a negative way. Greenberg even had the presence of mind to describe the manner, space, handshapes & habits of signs in a vivid way, imbuing the reader with an extra layer of perceived emotion. This may seem insignificant, but it is something that many writers who have tried to write Deaf characters fail to include, this adds a richness to the power of the prose & a new dimention that people naive of sign language will not have come across before.
What most impressed me was the authentic portrayal of a Deaf view of the world & the experiences encapsulated within it.
A character finally gains the courage to meet other Deaf people & encounters difference in their clothing & "educated signing". There are subtle & well beautifully described passages alluding to themes of language deprivation, paternalism & even using Deafness to their advantage when engaging "hearings". There is even deeply perceptive passages surrounding a mere radio & the changes that engenders in the family dynamic.
There is a treasure trove of subtle themes, growth & regression of characters, topics & nuances that whirl within Deaf culture for readers to discover in this book.
The authors work in this title is truly exemplary.
After reading this, i checked what dealings the author had with the Deaf world. Seeing that her husband had intimate interaction with Deaf people, i was not surprised, the knowlege & faithfulness is evident throughout the book.
It is exceptionally rare to find a novel, centred on Deaf culture which is as accurate & has such a depth to it, yet subtle in portraying it as this one is.
I am grateful to have read this work & am happy that it was written when it was.
There is no overbearing political or "social justice" browbeating angle present in the work, which is so very common in contemporary titles.
Instead, there is a beautiful, sometimes upsetting but entirely captivating & faithful Deaf experience that spans two generations, which makes it all the more powerful & will leave a poignant impression on any who care to read it.
November 12, 2025
I read this years ago during a college sign-language culture course and it really made an impact on me. I remember it some 30+ years later. I had looked it up, but didn't see it in audiobook format (yes, there is some irony in wanting an audio edition of this book about deafness) but then last year, in 2024, I saw it had been produced. I finally got around to it, and I was surprised at how much I remembered (I think I only read it the once, I'm sure we discussed it in class, I think I saw the movie adaptation, although that doesn't get into the mind of the deaf individuals as well as the book).
There was an introduction by deaf author Sara Novic, which, while interesting ... I had to skip, and look back on after. Putting it before the book didn't work for me, there was too much telling of the story which was to come, not so much spoilers, as repetition. I don't want a recap of the book right before I read it. I think this placement would have been better after the book was done, but again, I'm not sure if I would really appreciate it, the retelling of portions of the book. I was interested in the other aspects (her own experience, reflections). The author's note at the end was worth reading as well.
The first half of the book, focusing on the deaf couple ... 3rd person, but mostly from the father, Abel's POV. It comes across a little disjointed, just not "proper English" and the education and knowledge of the world is lacking ... but this IS a great presentation of the deaf, both the educational issues of the time, and also the different format sign language can take (my sister is a sign language interpreter, and I took several ASL classes in college). The syntax and word order isn't the same as how we/hearing speak.
I remember watching the movie CODA, (children of deaf adults) and that reminded me of this book, as this deaf couple has a hearing daughter, and she grows up being a connection/interpreter for them and the hearing world, but she also wants/needs her own life.
I must admit, I didn't really get the ending.
No proFanity.
There was an introduction by deaf author Sara Novic, which, while interesting ... I had to skip, and look back on after. Putting it before the book didn't work for me, there was too much telling of the story which was to come, not so much spoilers, as repetition. I don't want a recap of the book right before I read it. I think this placement would have been better after the book was done, but again, I'm not sure if I would really appreciate it, the retelling of portions of the book. I was interested in the other aspects (her own experience, reflections). The author's note at the end was worth reading as well.
The first half of the book, focusing on the deaf couple ... 3rd person, but mostly from the father, Abel's POV. It comes across a little disjointed, just not "proper English" and the education and knowledge of the world is lacking ... but this IS a great presentation of the deaf, both the educational issues of the time, and also the different format sign language can take (my sister is a sign language interpreter, and I took several ASL classes in college). The syntax and word order isn't the same as how we/hearing speak.
I remember watching the movie CODA, (children of deaf adults) and that reminded me of this book, as this deaf couple has a hearing daughter, and she grows up being a connection/interpreter for them and the hearing world, but she also wants/needs her own life.
I must admit, I didn't really get the ending.
No proFanity.
November 21, 2024
This is the first book I’ve ever read about deaf people/characters. It was eye opening and very sad how they were treated/perceived by fellow humans. I do hope things have changed for many hearing impaired people as this book started off in the 1930s and progressed till I believe the early 80s.
My heart really broke for Margaret especially, with so much being expected of her to interpret for her parents. Her parents clearly had no idea what they were doing to her. They thought she had it easy because she could hear 🤦🏼♀️ it was very frustrating to have empathy for Janice and Abel at times. Obviously being an outsider looking in, we can see the faults and their struggles clearer than the characters. I just wanted to shake them sometimes to make them understand what they were doing wrong. I never truly understood the disconnect before btwn language and what a word means. This book helped me to make sense and understand words are not just black and white with different “definitions”. And some words can misunderstood even with sign.
It was a good book, but there were many lapses (like Bradley died and no more discussion! Margaret had like 5 kids and they were casually mentioned )and because I never loved any of the characters but just felt pity for most of them I just gave it a 3. I did enjoy the audiobook though.
My heart really broke for Margaret especially, with so much being expected of her to interpret for her parents. Her parents clearly had no idea what they were doing to her. They thought she had it easy because she could hear 🤦🏼♀️ it was very frustrating to have empathy for Janice and Abel at times. Obviously being an outsider looking in, we can see the faults and their struggles clearer than the characters. I just wanted to shake them sometimes to make them understand what they were doing wrong. I never truly understood the disconnect before btwn language and what a word means. This book helped me to make sense and understand words are not just black and white with different “definitions”. And some words can misunderstood even with sign.
It was a good book, but there were many lapses (like Bradley died and no more discussion! Margaret had like 5 kids and they were casually mentioned )and because I never loved any of the characters but just felt pity for most of them I just gave it a 3. I did enjoy the audiobook though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
This is one of the most interesting stories I have read. It starts in 'The Depression' and follows a family of deaf parents with hearing children as they grow through a world that has little understanding of what it is to live without words, without speech, without hearing and responding intelligently. My experience, reading Joanne Greenberg's work, has been one of amazement with her ability to reveal the humanity of her characters and their societies. Reading this book prompted me to learn Sign. A new way of communicating. Quietly. With passion.
I have read several of Joanne Greenberg's books, including her most famous "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," some time ago. Her characters, with all their various flaws, are so very lovable. Often quite complicated. It's easy to befriend them.
"In This Sign" is one of my very favorite books. I am looking forward to the audiobook in July.
I have read several of Joanne Greenberg's books, including her most famous "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," some time ago. Her characters, with all their various flaws, are so very lovable. Often quite complicated. It's easy to befriend them.
"In This Sign" is one of my very favorite books. I am looking forward to the audiobook in July.
November 26, 2025
4.5 stars. Good, short-ish novel of tenement life that is neither depressing nor overwhelmingly positive and that is not a bildungsroman treatise on personal development or the meaning of life or anything a la A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (a book I loved young and which I appreciate, but may be too saccharine for my jaded middle-aged self). These are all the things it is not. So what is it? A study of a couple, their children, communication.
The author knows how to write a scene and transitions; she keeps things moving. Her dialogue is great. I learned so much about Deaf culture in the midcentury period. I would like to read what was excised from the final draft. I would have liked to have spent more time with Marshall. I hope to read more by this author.
The author knows how to write a scene and transitions; she keeps things moving. Her dialogue is great. I learned so much about Deaf culture in the midcentury period. I would like to read what was excised from the final draft. I would have liked to have spent more time with Marshall. I hope to read more by this author.
May 14, 2019
The story of Abel and Janice Ryder is powerful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, as we look inside the world of the deaf. So many things we take for granted were denied to them. Coming from backgrounds of poverty and deprivation, the story follows them as they meet, marry and struggle over the years. Their lives become more complicated when they have a hearing child, a daughter, who is torn between the two worlds. The background of life in the country during the depression, WWII, and moving forward through 50 years of marriage make this a compelling book.
August 25, 2025
Ich würde wirklich gerne mehr als 2 Sterne geben, aber ich hab mehrere Anläufe gebraucht, das Buch zu lesen und bin einfach froh, dass ich es jetzt beendet habe. Ich hab dir nie einen Rosengarten versprochen hat mich so tief beeindruckt, dass ich wahnsinnig hohe Hoffnungen für Mit diesem Zeichen hatte. Leider konnte es mich aber nicht überzeugen. Die unbeschönigte Erzählweise hat mir extrem gefallen und ich konnte mit allen Protagonist:innen mitfühlen, was sehr für das Können von Hannah Green spricht. Aber alles in allem war mir die Geschichte zu langatmig.
September 23, 2024
A fantastic book that deserves more reviews and a higher rating. This really goes into the deaf world that hearing will never know. The innocent parents reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath.
The author was going for some kind of point in the last 7 pages but it went over my head. Maybe someone can explain it to me.
Must read more by this author.
The author was going for some kind of point in the last 7 pages but it went over my head. Maybe someone can explain it to me.
Must read more by this author.
January 22, 2020
This story was much like my own. Growing up with deaf adults and having to take on much responsibility as a child. The story was depressing, but they were so strong as a family with courage and hope they survived challenges.
August 14, 2017
This was a slow read and I had to fight to get through a lot of it, but that was more because of the style of writing. The amount Deaf culture is excellent.
October 11, 2018
Wow I did not like this
October 6, 2023
If you like depressing stories where almost nothing good happens then this is the book for you.
March 2, 2024
So beautiful. 4 generations of change.
A favorite line:
He looked for a way to make her, her again. Asked simply, why didn't you drive your car?
A favorite line:
He looked for a way to make her, her again. Asked simply, why didn't you drive your car?
November 17, 2024
"Best" seems like the wrong descriptor, so I'm going to call this the most important book I've read this year. I'm slightly shocked I didn't encounter it earlier in my career.
November 30, 2024
The audiobook edition is not listed in Goodreads, but I’m glad to have discovered it, particularly because it was an anniversary edition.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews